2003 NISSAN MURANO Complaints

THE POWER DRIVER'S SEAT SHIFTS SLIGHTLY AND MAKES A CLICKING NOISE. MY NISSAN DEALER IDENTIFIED THE PROBLEM, HOWEVER REFUSED TO FIX IT UNDER MY EXTENDED WARRANTY. THE COST OF THE FIX WAS OVER $500. *TR

HEARD NOISE FROM ENGINE COMPARTMENT UNDER LOW RPM RANGE. TOOK VEHICLE TO LOCAL NISSAN DEALER FOR INSPECTION OF PROBLEM AND MECHANIC COULD NOT DUPLICATE BUT WAS ADVISED BY SHOP MECHANIC ABOUT WORN DRIVE BELT. VEHICLE IS @ 34,000 MILES. UPON INVESTIGATION AT HOME FROM TOP OF ENGINE BAY, I NOTICED AC/ALTERNATOR IDLER PULLEY WAS VIBRATING AND ROTATING OF AXIS TO THE CRACK PULLEY. I INVESTIGATED ONLINE AT WWW.NISSANMURANO.ORG FOR SIMILAR PROBLEMS. I FOUND A SERIES OF REPORTS THAT THE BRACKET THAT HOLDS THE IDLE PULLEY WAS BROKEN AND CAUSES CUTTING INTO THE ADJUSTMENT ARM AND CAUSING THE NOISE (EVENTUALLY FAILING). RETURNED VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND INFORMED DEALER OF IDLER PULLEY PROBLEM RESEARCHED ONLINE AND REQUEST BELT SERVICE. WHEN MECHANIC REMOVED THE BELT, THE IDLER PULLEY ASSEMBLY WAS FOUND TO BE BROKEN. I BELIEVE THIS IS A SERIOUS DESIGN ISSUE AND NISSAN SHOULD PROVIDE A BETTER DESIGN AND RECALL A $16 PART. POTENTIAL ISSUES OF FAILURE OF PULLEY: 1) NEARBY VICINITY OF THE RADIATOR COOLANT RETURN HOSE CAN CUT BY BROKEN BRACKET AND CAN CAUSE ENGINE TO OVERHEAT. 2) COULD LEAD TO AN ALTERNATOR NOT PROVIDING ENERGY TO THE CAR AND A MORE SERIOUS CONSEQUENCES. *TR UPDATED 01/11/08. *LJ UPDATED *JB

THE IDLER TENSION BRACKET FAILED/BROKE DUE TO UNUSUAL WEAR AND THE BELT WAS LOST 200 MILES FROM HOME! IT IS CLEAR THAT THE BRACKET WAS OVER HEAT TEMPERED BY THE MANUFACTURER! *TR

A FEW DAYS AGO; DURING NORMAL DRIVING AND TURNING RIGHT ON A STREET NEAR MY HOUSE THE DRIVER SEAT SWIM LEFT PUSHING MY BODY AGAIN THE WINDOW AND AT THE SAME TIME LOSING CONTROL. THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION AND IF A CAR WAS LOCATE AT THE OTHER SIDE COULD HAVE BEEN INVOLVE IN AN ACCIDENT. THE CAR IS NOW OUT OF WARRANTY AND THE DEALER WANTS OVER 500.00 FOR REPLACING THE ENTIRE DRIVER SEAT TRACK. CLOSE INSPECTION SHOW THAT A METAL BAR RUNNING FROM LEFT TO RIGHT AT THE READ LOCATION BROKE ON THE LEFT SITE; THIS BAR IS THE ONLY THINK PREVENTING THE SEAT FROM MOVING LEFT OR RIGHT; IT IS CLEAR THAT THIS BAR IS NOT STRONG ENOUGH; THE METAL WAS ALSO TWISTED. NISSAN SHOULD HAVE A RECALL ON THIS; PEOPLE LIVE ARE AT RISK. *JB

2003 NISSAN MURANO SL - FAILURE OF THE DRIVER'S SEAT SUPPORT. UPON NORMAL WEAR, THE LIFTER LINK, PART OF THE SEAT LIFTER LINK SLIDE ASSEMBLY, HAD A CATASTROPHIC FAILURE WHERE THE LINK LIFTER ASSEMBLY METAL HAS SNAPPED, LEAVING NO REAR SUPPORT FOR THE SEAT AND ALLOWING THE DRIVERS SEAT TO MOVE FREELY FROM SIDE TO SIDE. THIS FAILURE WAS REPORTED TO NISSAN NORTH AMERICA. THEY ACKNOWLEDGED A SPECIAL TSB THAT TOLD OF THIS FAILURE AND HOW TO REPLACE IT, BUT WOULD NOT TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ISSUE WHEN THE VEHICLE IS OUT-OF-WARRANTY. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE THAT WOULD HAVE UNKNOWN RESULTS IN A CRASH. I HAVE SEEN THIS ISSUE REPORTED BY SEVERAL OWNERS OF NOT ONLY MURANOS, BUT OTHER NISSAN VEHICLES. *TR

2003 NISSAN MURANO. AFTER 1.5 HOURS OF HIGHWAY DRIVING, STOPPED CAR AT STOP LIGHT. WHEN ACCELERATOR DEPRESSED, CAR WAS UNRESPONSIVE FOR 5 SECONDS, THEN LURCHED FORWARD. MOMENTS LATER, ACCELERATOR COULD BE DEPRESSED TO FLOOR (IN THE MIDDLE OF A TRAFFIC INTERSECTION) WITH UNRESPONSIVE RPM AND ACCELERATION. ONCE CAR SHUT OFF, CAR OPERATED FINE AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS FOR REMAINDER OF TRIP. WITHIN A WEEK, WHILE ON VACATION OUT-OF-STATE, SAME PROBLEMS OCCURS AGAIN. MURANO IS UNRESPONSIVE ONCE AUTO IS SLOWED FROM HIGHWAY SPEEDS TO STOP-AND-GO TRAFFIC ON HIGHWAY. ABLE TO GET AUTO OFF HIGHWAY ALTHOUGH ONCE CLEAR OF THE HIGHWAY, AUTO WILL NOT ACCELERATE FROM STOP LIGHT. CAR REMAINS UNRESPONSIVE UNTIL SHUT DOWN AND RESTARTED. ONCE RUNNING, CAR SEEMS TO CHUG AND LURCH AT ALL SPEEDS. MURANO WAS IMMEDIATELY SERVICED (THE FOLLOWING DAY) AT FAULKNER NISSAN IN HARRISBURG, PA WHILE ON VACATION AND DIAGNOSED WITH FAULTY TRANSMISSION VALVE BODY. REPLACED AT COST OF $1800+. ON RETURN TRIP TO HOME (NEWPORT, RI), VEHICLE SEEMS TO BE FINE UNTIL DECELERATING FOR STOP AND GO TRAFFIC. ONCE THAT OCCURS, IT EXPERIENCES COUNTLESS TRANSMISSION SURGES AND SHAKES AT ALL SPEEDS. FROM STANDSTILL, CAR IS UNRESPONSIVE AND OFTEN STUTTERS AND SHAKES. ON RETURN TO HOME DEALERSHIP (JUST ONE WEEK AFTER FIRST SERVICE), DEALER (BARRY NISSAN, NEWPORT, RI), REPLACES TRANSMISSION CONTROL UNIT ($1300+) YET STILL IS UNSURE IF THAT IS THE FIX. NISSAN CONSUMER AFFAIRS HAS YET TO RETURN MY CALL DESPITE MY INITIAL COMPLAINT AND MULTIPLE EFFORTS TO CONTACT THEM AGAIN. *JB

NISSAN MURANO 2003. WHEN HOT AND STOP AND GO, ACCELERATION CAN LAG BY 10 TO 30 SECONDS AFTER STEPPING ON ACCELERATOR PEDAL. VERY DANGEROUS. SEEMS TO BE A PRESSURE SENSOR IN THE TRANSMISSION. *JB

THE RELAY THAT UNLOCKS THE GAS DOOR FAILS AND YOU CAN NOT OPEN THE GAS DOOR TO REFILL THE CAR WITH GAS. THIS IS A KNOWN DEFECT FOR '03 AND '04 AND STILL NISSAN WILL NOT COVER THE COST FOR REPAIR. *JB

I NOTICED THE RPM REV UNCONTROLLABLY BETWEEN 2 AND 3K WHILE DRIVING AND DIDN'T THINK ANYTHING OF IT AS NO LIGHTS HAD COME ON WITH THE VEHICLE. I BEGAN TO NOTICE THAT ON HOT DAYS AND DAYS WHEN I WAS IN STOP AND GO TRAFFIC THE VEHICLE WOULD RESPOND EXTREMELY SLOW AND THEN 10-15 SECONDS LATER WOULD REV UP ALMOST TO 4K RPM ALMOST CAUSING ME TO HIT THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME. AT FIRST I THOUGHT IT WAS DUE TO THE GASOLINE IN THE VEHICLE. SO I CONTINUED TO DRIVE THE CAR. THEN A COUPLE OF WEEKS LATER I GET STUCK IN STOP AND GO TRAFFIC .. THE CAR AGAIN BEGINS TO RESPOND SUPER SLOWLY 10-20 SECONDS. I EXITED THE FREEWAY AND CAME TO A STOP LIGHT TO MAKE A RIGHT TURN. MY CAR SITS.. AND SITS.. AND THEN TAKES OFF AT 60MPH AT A STOPPED TURN RIGHT AND I ALMOST HIT A CAR. I'VE CALLED THE SERVICE CENTER AT THE NISSAN IN MY AREA AND THEY CLAIM THAT THEY HAVE NEVER HEARD OF THE ISSUES THAT I HAVE STATED AND THAT THEY NEED TO KEEP MY VEHICLE FOR A DAY TO DUPLICATE WHAT'S GOING ON. AFTER READING ALL OF THE POST BY OTHER OWNERS THERE IS SOMETHING SERIOUSLY WRONG WITH SOMETHING IN THE CARS TRANSMISSION. IF I HAVE TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE TRANSMISSION AT $6000 BECAUSE OF A $5 SENSOR THAT TO ME SEEMS LIKE A CROCK. I THINK THAT SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE ABOUT THIS BECAUSE YOU CAN GUARANTEE THE OWNERS THAT OWN THESE SLOW RESPONDING CARS WILL SELL THEM OR TRADE THEM IN AND ANOTHER UNSUSPECTING OWNER ON A HOT AND STOP AND GO TRAFFIC DAY WONT KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THEIR BRAND NEW USED 10 POINT INSPECTED VEHICLE. I THINK THAT SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE ABOUT THIS OR THEIR WILL BE LOSS OF LIFE DUE TO THIS DESIGN FLAW. RIGHT NOW I HAVE NOT HAD MY FAILING PARTS FIXED BECAUSE I WILL NOT PAY THE $6,000 TO REPLACE A TRANSMISSION. I WILL PROBABLY END UP TRADING THE CAR IN AND USING THE $6,000 TO PURCHASE ANOTHER VEHICLE THAT DOES NOT HAVE THESE PROBLEMS. *JB

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 NISSAN MURANO. WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, THE CONTACT DEPRESSED THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL, BUT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO MOVE. THE VEHICLE WAS PULLED OVER AND TOWED TO THE DEALER, WHO STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 82,000.